Chips, Cracks, and Company
by theangelshavemymind
Summary: The TARDIS shows up in a parallel dimension, a certain parallel dimension. Introductions must be made.
1. A Blue Box

**Author's Note: I know that the chances of this actually happening are quite slim. What with parallel worlds being sealed off and all. But the idea is quite appealing. I'd personally like to see what would happen if 11 were to run into the Meta-crisis Doctor and Rose. I'm sure there would be lots of explaining... and talk of bow ties. **

* * *

The night was perfect for a stroll around town. Clear sky, a slight breeze, and not many people out. Not that that would have mattered anyway. The two figures walking closely together wouldn't have noticed the presence of others. They were far too absorbed in each other to notice anybody else around them.

Rose and John. The Smiths as they introduce themselves. They'd been together for about a year, but in reality, it had been much, much longer. It wasn't your normal romance. They hadn't courted or dated. They had gone out once for chips, and then had gotten married the week after. Rose had met John only that week, but she had known him for so much longer. John felt as though he had known Rose forever, but he had met Rose for the first time as well during that week.

They were both human, but far from normal, especially John. He busied himself with research on the universe and planets that only existed in his imagination. Places such as Gallifrey, a planet that had long been lost to time and space, along with everyone on it. Everyone except for one man, if you could call him that. John often felt that he was that man, that sole survivor, the last of a race of ancient beings. But that wasn't true, and he knew that.

It was always hard for John to know what was real and what wasn't. He had memories and thoughts that weren't his. They belonged to someone else, someone who looked like him, acted like him, was him, but wasn't. There were times when he wouldn't be able to take it. He couldn't handle the memoires and the feelings. The need to go, to leave London and traverse the galaxy like a mad man. That's why he had Rose. Rose was always there to help him, to tell him that it was okay, that he wasn't in any danger from the memories of monsters that plagued his mind. Rose could always comfort him and show him that he was John and not the man he felt connected to.

John was right of course, he did share a connection with the man. With the man that he felt he was the last of the people of Gallifrey. The last of a race known as the Time Lords. The last Time Lord. The Doctor.

Rose and John both knew about the Doctor. John had come from the Doctor in a way. The Doctor had been a part of Rose's life for a long time, but then the Cybermen and the Daleks came. They came and Rose lost the Doctor. Her Doctor. She lost him and wound up in London. But not the London she knew. It was a different London, a parallel London as the Doctor told her.

Rose had been trapped there without the Doctor. She had spent every waking moment searching for a way to be reunited with him. Finally she succeeded, and then everything changed again. In the end the Doctor left again and Rose was stuck in the parallel London. But Rose wasn't alone this time. She had John. The Doctor had given her John. It was as close as he could get to giving her himself, because he couldn't be with her. And she had known that all along.

John was like the Doctor in many ways. He looked like him, thought like him, talked like him, and acted like him for the most part. At first Rose convinced herself that he could never replace her Doctor, but then they went out for chips. John was the Doctor, just stuck in a human body, and what's more he loved Rose as much as the Doctor had, even more if that was possible. And Rose found that she could love John back.

John was the name he had picked out for himself. The Doctor had addressed John as the meta-crisis Doctor, a half-human half-Time Lord being. But John wasn't going to go around introducing himself as Meta-crisis Doctor, so he chose the name John Smith, secretly tying himself to the Doctor by means of a name.

John smiles and grabs Rose's hand as the two of them walk into the park. He loves being with Rose, and he loves Rose, with all his human heart. Rose, his Rose, the one person he loves more than life itself. He's going to grow old with her, spend every day with her, he's going to devote his life to her, and she knows that.

They sit down on a park bench and relax. Rose leans her head on John's shoulder and he runs his fingers through her blonde hair. John sighs and looks up into the heavens. Thousands of stars twinkle amongst the blackness. Thousands of planets and worlds that could be explored. But they're not John's to explore. His place is here with Rose.

John leans his head back on the park bench railing and closes his eyes. His fingers move _rhythmically_through Rose's hair. Rose nestles closer to him, wrapping her arms around his middle. John plants a soft kiss on the top of her head and strokes the side of her face with his thumb.

Rose leans up and kisses the side of John's cheek. He moves so that he can see her. She looks beautiful this evening. Her hair is windswept and there's color in her cheeks. She smiles and then kisses him. He smiles into the kiss, pulling her closer and marveling at the fact that she's his.

They pull apart after what seems like an eternity and John gives her an Eskimo kiss, rubbing their noses together and whispering her name softly. Rose giggles and hugs him tightly.

The night is alive with the sounds that belong to it. Crickets chirp and the wind rustles the leaves of the trees that line the path which winds through the park. There's another sound too, one that almost seems out of place. It's grinding noise, almost like "Vworrrp Vworrrrp."

John sits upright. He knows that noise. He looks down at Rose. He hazel eyes are wide. They both know this noise. To him it's the most wonderful noise in the universe. But it shouldn't be here.

"John, that's… that's…."Rose stammers, clutching John's hand.

John grips Rose's hand tightly. "I know. I know. But how?" His eyebrows knit together as his brain goes into overdrive. That noise. That wonderful grinding Vwoorrp of a noise. The noise that only one machine could make. The noise of a blue box, of a wonderful blue box. The noise of the TARDIS.

* * *

**And thus ends Chapter 1. More to come. Rest assured. **


	2. New Doctor

**Chapter 2. Bringing in 11... and Amy... and Rory. **

* * *

The blue police box materializes in front of them, fading in and out of focus until it lands. John and Rose stay on the bench. John's not sure what to do. The TARDIS isn't supposed to be able to enter the parallel dimension, and yet here it is. And where the TARDIS is, the Doctor can't be far behind.

The Doctor. John's never really entertained the thought that the Doctor could be coming back. What if he's come for Rose? John puts an arm around Rose protectively. He's not going to let the Doctor have her. If that's the reason he came back, the Time Lord is going to have to bloody well fight him for her.

Suddenly the door of the TARDIS pulls back. A man saunters out, dressed in a suit with a red bowtie, suspenders to match, tight black pants and laced up boots.

He spreads his arms wide and says quickly, "Here we are Ponds! The perfect honeymoon destination! Rio!"

Two more people emerge from the blue box. A tall man with a worried expression, and a red head with an unreasonably short skirt.

"This isn't Rio," the red head says, crossing her arms.

The man with the bowtie eyebrow's furrow and he says quickly, "Apparently not." He pulls out an instrument from the inside of his coat and points it around. It makes a noise and he examines it before exclaiming, "London! We're in London! Not bad. London is nice. London is very nice. London is cool." He smirks and claps his hands together.

The tall man looks around and says softly, "At least there won't be vampires here."

The bowtie man claps him on the shoulder and says cheerily, "One can always hope, Rory!"

There's a lull in their conversation and John seizes the opportunity. He's not sure who these people are, but he has a bad feeling that the man in the bowtie may be the Doctor. He hopes he's wrong.

"Who are you?" John says angrily dragging Rose behind him. He's still holding her hand, daring anyone to take him from her.

The man in the bowtie looks confused for a second. He looks John up and down and then he notices Rose. His eyes widen and a strangled sound escapes his throat.

"But… but…" he points at Rose and then at John and makes motions with his hands as though he's trying to figure out something.

John storms forward and points a long finger at the man's chest. "Who are you?"

The man brushes away John's finger and says matter of factly, "I'm the Doctor."

John steps back, breathing fast. It's really him. The Doctor has reincarnated again. John is all that's left of the Doctor's past face. This strange man with his bowtie and suspenders, this man is the new Doctor. And John doesn't like him.

Rose lets go of John's hand and steps forward. John looks over at her. Her expression can only be accurately described as confused pain.

"Doctor?" Rose says timidly reaching a hand out.

"Hello, Rose," the new Doctor says. He takes her hand, but then he turns to John. "Permission?"

"What?" John asks, confused.

"Just say yes." The man called Rory says.

"Uh, yes?" John says slowly.

The Doctor's face lights up and he pulls Rose in for a hug. Rose hugs him back and then pulls away.

She cups his face in her hands and says, "You're younger."

"I do that," the Doctor replies.

John's really starting to dislike this new version of the Doctor. He's too full of himself. Too cocky. And the way he smiles, like he's the best thing in the universe. John also thinks his own version of the Doctor was much better looking.

John circles the new Doctor taking in everything. The Doctor's new face is interesting. Strange. High brow with slightly sunken in eyes, flat nose, very gaunt, almost skeletal. And crazy hair, all swooped to the side like some wanna be rock star.

"You're shorter. And you've got a very bad sense of fashion," John remarks coming to face the Doctor.

"I do not!" the Doctor interrupts.

"Your hair is weird too," John continues. He looks into the Doctor's new green eyes. There's a depth there, a spark that doesn't fit the rest of the new body.

"My hair is not weird," the Doctor says with a pout, "It's cool."

"Whatever," John says. He points to Rory and the girl. "Who are they? New companions?"

The Doctor twirls around while yelling, "Right! Introductions!" He grabs the girl by the arm. "Amy Pond. Amy, this is Rose and," he pauses, "What do you call yourself? Certainly not Meta-crisis. That sounds awful."

"His name is John," Rose says grabbing John's hand. John makes a mental note to be sure to tell her how thankful he is for her.

"John!" the Doctor says, "Wonderful. So Amy and Rory," he grabs Rory by the arm and presents him, "this is Rose and John. Rose and John, Amy and Rory. Amy and Rory, Rose and John." He points to himself. "And you all know me, of course." He smiles.

"So, Doctor," Amy says, "Would you mind telling us who exactly they are?" She points to Rose and John.

The Doctor says quickly, "Rose traveled with me back when I looked like that." He points to John.

"Wait," Rory interrupts, "Are you saying that he's you?"

"No!" the Doctor says waving his hands in the air, "He's a clone of me. A past me. This is what I looked like before I met you, Pond."

Amy and Rory stare at John. John shifts his Converse clad feet around uncomfortably. Rose squeezes his hand.

"You weren't bad looking," Amy says.

"I'll take that compliment," John says, puffing his chest out a bit.

The Doctor looks hurt. "I'm still not bad looking," he mutters to himself.

Rose finally asks the question that has been nagging at John's mind. "How did you get here, Doctor?"

"What do you mean?" the Doctor says blinking.

John takes this one. "You're not supposed to be able to come back. Parallel worlds can't coincide. Unless the universe is falling apart, which it better not be." He glares at the Doctor.

"The universe is fine. For now." The Doctor thinks for moment. Then he asks. "Have you seen any cracks lately? And I'm talking big cracks, big scary cracks that glow and scare little children."

He looks expectantly at Rose and John, who both shake their heads. The Doctor trots back to the TARDIS and disappears inside for a bit leaving John and Rose alone with Amy and Rory. None of them make conversation.

The Doctor returns. He paces back and forth and says rapidly, "I have good news and bad news. The good news, the universe is not falling apart right at this present moment. We're here because the TARDIS is broken. Which is the bad news. We fell through a dimension, into this London, into John and Rose's world, a parallel world. But," he pauses and takes a breath, "we should be able to return to our world in about four hours, five maybe, assuming that I can find a way to get back to our dimension. So what I'm saying is, who wants chips?"

* * *

**Chapter 3 to be posted soon.**


	3. Chips and Conversation

**Thanks for all the reviews! Very much appreciated. Here's Chapter 3! **

* * *

The five of them head down to a nearby diner. Due to the late hour, it is nearly empty apart from a lone woman, wearing a hat that's pulled down over her eyes. They choose a booth near the back. Rose and John slide into the left side, Amy and Rory take the right, and the Doctor pulls up a chair with a flourish. They sit in silence for some time, eating and watching each other, not really sure what to do.

The Doctor swallows a mouthful of food and says loudly, "Chips are always a good way to pass the time. Well, any food is a good way to pass the time, unless it's beans. Beans are rubbish. Very bad. Shouldn't even be a food. They're evil. But fishfingers and custard," he smiles broadly, "now there is a magnificent food pairing. Wonderful. Just wonderful! I don't see why we can't just eat that all the time."

"We can't eat fishfingers and custard 24/7," Amy says moodily. She then claims Rory's ketchup as her own, twirling a chip around in it.

John watches the Doctor out of the corner of his eye. He doesn't like this new personality. He looks over at Rose, she is picking at her food, stacking the chips on top of each other and watching them fall when the tower gets too high.

John wonders what it must be like for her to meet the Doctor again. The new Doctor is nothing like the man she knew. John knows what it's like to know someone and have them change, and the changes the Doctor goes through are by far the worse. It's almost as though the person he was dies, leaving a new man in his place. Rose must feel like she's lost an old friend, and now this strange man with his bowtie is trying to take his place.

John reaches down and grabs Rose's hand. Giving it a quick squeeze he whispers in her ear. "You okay?"

Rose blinks a few times and then nods, keeping her eyes on her stack of chips. John gives her a quick kiss on the cheek and she smiles a little. John can see the Doctor watching them.

John now wonders what is going through the Doctor's head. John remembers how his Doctor felt when it came to Rose. He had loved her, just as John loves her. Did this new Doctor still have those feelings? Or perhaps he had left them behind when he had reincarnated. Tried to forget all the pain and suffering that John's Doctor had gone through. Maybe this new Doctor was just that, new. Completely different. Same name, different man

"So what have you been up to?" John asks the Doctor, "Hopefully not destroying the universe."

"Oh no!" the Doctor says with a wave of his hand, "I try not to destroy anything." He looks thoughtful for a moment, "Although one does have to make exceptions for certain things. But never mind that!" he grins, "What have I been doing? Well, mostly I've been traveling with the Ponds. They're excellent company. We've had our fair share of adventures. Right Ponds?" He looks over at Amy and Rory.

"Right. Adventures," Rory mutters looking down at his now empty ketchup cup.

"Never a dull moment with him," Amy says cheerfully, pointing her thumb at the Doctor.

"But what about you two?" the Doctor says motioning to Rose and John, "What have _you_ been doing? Married now and whatnot? Any kids? I always wondered what my kids would look like. Although I suppose your kids would look like my past self, but still." He looks expectantly at Rose and John.

"Kids?" John says nervously, "Uh no."

"Not yet, anyway," Rose says.

The Doctor looks sad, but then he perks up and says, "You'll have to introduce me to them if you have some in the future. That is assuming that I somehow get back to this parallel dimension, if I ever get out of it."

"Sure," John says, "You can be their mad uncle who flies around in a blue box."

The Doctor claps his hands together, "I've always wanted to be an uncle. What do uncles do anyway?" He goes quiet as he tries to think of what being an uncle entails.

John sighs and stares down at his chips. He can't help but shake the feeling of awkwardness that has been nagging at him ever since the TARDIS appeared. He's not sure what to do with the new Doctor, or his companions. They all seem so easy going, like nothing ever bothers them. John knows that that can't be true. He remembers everything his Doctor went through. Surely that's not forgotten. Surely this new Doctor has his problems as well. But he's certainly doing a good job of hiding them.

Rose checks her watch and John looks over at the slowly ticking second hand. Three hours left until the Doctor and the Ponds can leave. John should make conversation. He should ask what new wonders the Doctor has seen, what planets he's saved, if he's seen the Daleks, or visited the Ood. But John finds he doesn't want to know what the Doctor has done. He doesn't want to hear about how big the universe is and about all the wonders it contains. John doesn't want to hear about the places he can't visit and the creatures he can't ever see. John misses the worlds he was never really a part of.

John is shaken out of his thoughts by the sudden entrance of a man. The man barges into the diner panting, holding his wrist, onto which is strapped a bulky device. Suddenly his form begins to fade. He yells and presses a button on the device, which seems to stabilize him. Then he turns toward the five sets of eyes staring at him. He smiles and then falls to the floor with a thud.

* * *

**10, er 11 for 11 Doctors, guesses who the man is...**


	4. Old Friends

**Well, I think most of you guessed correctly as to who the man was. Good job. I give you all a round of applause, and a cookie, which is also round.**

**Chapter 4:  
**

* * *

The previously quiet diner explodes with action. The Doctor is kneeling over the man, illuminating his face with his screwdriver. Amy is asking a thousand questions, Rory is checking for a pulse, Rose is peering down at the man with worry, and John is looking over her shoulder.

"I can't find a pulse," Rory says softly.

Suddenly the man's eyes jerk open and he sits up. He blinks once and then looks around before saying, "Where the hell am I?"

Rose and John both gasp. They know who this is, and they also know that he shouldn't be here.

"Jack!" Rose squeals, kneeling down and hugging the man tightly.

Jack smiles widely and says, "Rose!" He looks up at John, "And you too, Doctor?"

"Excuse me," the Doctor says indignantly beside Jack, "I'm the Doctor."

Jack turns to the Doctor. His eyes widen and he says, "Wait." He looks at John, "Meta-crises Doctor, right?" John nods. Jack turns back to the Doctor. "And you're…"

"I'm the Doctor, pleased to meet you, Jack was it?" The Doctor shakes Jack's hand warmly.

Jack looks concerned. "Don't tell me you don't recognize me, Doctor? Or does regeneration come with a side of amnesia?"

The Doctor thinks for a moment before exclaiming, "Jack! Of course! Captain Jack Harkness! Hard not to forget you!" He pulls Jack in for a hug, which Jack tries to prolong, to no avail.

"So, regeneration does change a lot of things," Jack muses. He looks the Doctor up and down. "A bit thinner, and your hair's crazy, but," he grins mischievously and winks, "I like it."

Amy steps in between the Doctor and Jack. "Not to spoil this moment, Doctor, but who's this?" she points to Jack.

"Oh yes, more introductions!" the Doctor says waving his arms about. "Ponds this is Captain Jack Harkness. He traveled with me for a bit back when I looked like John and for a little bit before that, ninth reincarnation and all." He points to Amy and Rory, "And Jack, this is Amy and Rory. The Ponds. New companions, I think you'll like them."

Jack looks Amy and Rory up and down, his eyes lingering on Rory. "I think I'm liking them already." He offers a hand to Rory. "Captain Jack Harkness. How do you do?"

"That's enough introductions," John says, stepping quickly between Jack and Rory.

Jack makes a face. Then he turns to John and says, "I see that you haven't changed much. You're almost exactly like him. Little bit shorter perhaps." Jack stands up straight looking John in the eye. "Not that height matter to me." He grins wickedly.

John looks at Jack sternly, "Jack, stop it. Now's not the time for that kinda thing."

"It most certainly is not," the Doctor pipes up. He looks at Jack, "How did you get here?"

Jack sighs and sits down on a nearby chair. "I was trying to time jump with this thing," he points to the device on his wrist, "But the dang thing's busted."

"You've still got that vortex manipulator?" John interrupts. "I thought I, well the Doctor, the past Doctor, shut that thing down."

"I fixed it," Jack says quickly, before then saying, "or I thought I did. Instead of time traveling I was pulled through a crack and into the Void. That crack closed but I came out through another crack and ended up outside this place." He crosses his arms, "And, apparently, humans can't survive a journey through the void. Trust me, it wasn't fun. Not a good way to die."

"So he died, and came back to life?" Amy questions, her eyes wide.

"Jack is, well, he's immortal," the Doctor explains, "long story. He can't die, he just comes back."

"I know how he feels," Rory says quietly.

Rose cuts in. "But Jack, you're not supposed to be able to come here. This is a parallel universe. It's not supposed to cross with yours."

"Yeah, I know," Jack says, getting up. Suddenly a thought dawns on him and he says, "Wait, is there a parallel me here?"

"I suppose so," Rose says, unsure of what Jack is getting at.

Jack claps his hands together. "Oh god. I wonder if I could find him. The stuff we could do."

"You're not doing anything," John says.

"No one is doing anything," the Doctor cries, pacing back and forth, "None of us are supposed to be here. The only people who belong here are Rose and John. So the question is, how did Amy and Rory, and me, and Jack get through into this universe?"

"I think I can answer that."

They all turn to face the person who spoke. It's the woman who had been in the diner. She removes her hat and lets her golden hair poof out around her head like a halo. Then she turns to the Doctor and says with a wink, "Hello Sweetie."

* * *

**And here's River! I had to bring her in. Wouldn't be the same without her.**

**Chapter 5 will be coming soon...  
**


	5. Cracks in Time

**Alrighty! Chapter 5! In which the author fails at trying to explain how The Doctor, The Ponds, River, and Jack could somehow get to the parallel world where Rose and John are!  
**

**Bit on the shorter side for a chapter. Hopefully you will still enjoy it though!  
**

* * *

"RIVER!" the Doctor yells, his mouth falling open, "How did you, what, why, how…"

"All in good time, sweetie," River says before giving the Doctor a quick kiss on the lips.

"Who's she?" Rose says loudly.

The Doctor blushes and says quickly, "This is my, uh, she's my-"

"I'm his wife," River says spinning around to face Rose. "And who might you be?"

"Rose Tyler," Rose says, looking confused, "His wife?"

River seems to recognize Rose's name. She starts to say something, but then she notices John. "Oh dear," she says softly. She turns to the Doctor, "What have you done this time?"

"That's not me," the Doctor says motioning to John, "This is John Smith. Or he's better known as, the Meta-crisis Doctor. He was made back when I was traveling with Donna, and Rose, and Martha, and Jack."

"I see," River muses looking over at John. "So this is a past version of you, I'm assuming. Am I ever going to meet him? He seems fun." River winks at John.

John remembers meeting River, or he remembers when the Doctor met River. The Doctor had his suspicions about who River was, and River's just confirmed them with the announcement of the fact that she and the Doctor are married. John knows that River will meet his Doctor in the past, and that it will be the last time the Doctor ever sees her.

John could tell River about what lurks in her future, but he knows he can't. Instead he just says softly, "Spoilers."

River's eyes widen a bit and John can tell that she's making a mental note to remember his face because she's going to meet his Doctor one day. John secretly hopes that River has many adventures before she does.

"Sorry to interrupt," the Doctor says timidly, "But five of us aren't supposed to be here in the world, and we need to find a way to get back to our world before something very bad happens." He fixes his gaze on River, "You said you knew how we could be here?"

"Those cracks," River says pulling out an electric device, which she fiddles with as she speaks. "They didn't just appear in our world, they were everywhere. In all times and all places, all universes, everything was affected by it. You were able to shut most of them, but it seems that there are still a few open, namely this one, which we all fell through into this world."

"Whoa, slow down there," Jack interrupts, "What cracks?"

"Cracks in time," the Doctor explains, "They're very complicated and take a long time to explain, time that we don't have as of now. I'll explain later, assuming we can get back through the cracks into our world." The Doctor paces back and forth, "Plan. We need a plan. The cracks that we're dealing with are in the Void. Jack, you said that you fell through into this world. If we can find that crack, and if it's still open, we might be able to slip through it and somehow close it."

Amy interrupts this time, "But how are we going to close it? Cause last time you closed those cracks, you didn't exist and I'm not having that happen again."

"You didn't exist?" Rose says, trying to figure out everything that's going on.

The Doctor throws his hands in the air, "It's all too complicated to explain right now! But we only have a few hours left until the TARDIS is working again and then we need to get out of here before those cracks close." He pauses, "Wait, oh, oh yes! Yes!" he spins about a few times his mind working furiously, "Closing! The cracks are closing. Time moves differently in this world, the cracks are closing, but they're closing slowly. We happened to fall through one that was still open. If we can get back through it before it closes, it should close on its own!"

"So we hope that it's open, and then go through it and hope that it closes," Rory sums up.

"Pretty much. But we're not going anywhere for another hour and a half."

"In that case," Jack says slumping into a nearby booth, "I say we order another round of chips."

* * *

**Chapter 6 will be posted soon! **


	6. A Very Big Adventure

**Okay. Final chapter. **

**Thank you for all the reviews!  
**

**Hope you enjoyed my story!  
**

* * *

The chips go mostly uneaten as the seven people surrounding them talk. John and Rose reminisce with Jack about old times. Rory and Amy talk about how they'd appreciate going to an actual honeymoon destination. River and the Doctor compare journals and try to figure out where in their timelines they are meeting.

The group heads out of the diner once an hour is up, leaving the chips sitting on the table. They all walk solemnly back to the TARDIS. No one speaks until they reach the police box.

Upon reaching his TARDIS, the Doctor says, "Well, this has been fun. Always good to see old faces." He smiles and then turns to Rose. "Goodbye Miss Tyler, or I guess it would be Mrs. Smith now." He spreads his arms wide and Rose gives him a long hug. John sees her wipe a stray tear away as she walks back to him.

The Doctor turns to Jack. "Stay out of trouble."

"Not sure if that's possible," Jack says cheekily. He pulls the Doctor into a hug, which the Doctor has to end.

The Doctor then addresses John. He looks unsure as to what to say, and he settles for, "Have some kids. I'd like to be an uncle. Never been an uncle before. I'm sure it'd be very fun." He smiles and offers a hand to John.

"Will do," John says, making a mental note to tell any kids he might have about the Doctor.

Rose and John then say goodbye to Amy, Rory, and River.

"Take care of him," Rose says to River, looking over at the Doctor.

"Oh, I will," River replies giving Rose a quick hug before turning to John. "I look forward to meeting your Doctor in the future," she says giving John a wink.

"Don't let him forget about you," John says pulling River in for a hug, hoping that her future will somehow change.

Jack is the final goodbye for John and Rose. He pulls Rose into a hug that sweeps her off her feet and then kisses her full on the mouth. "Take care of yourself," he says giving her a big smile.

"You too, Captain," Rose says, smiling broadly.

Jack turns to John. "And you," he points to Rose, "You take care of her. She's something special."

"I know she is," John says looking at Rose affectingly before his lips are violated by Jack's. "Aw, come on!" John yells wiping his mouth off as Jack laughs and scampers into the TARDIS after the Ponds and River. Rose giggles and comes to stand by John. They look toward the Doctor who is standing in front of the TARDIS.

The Doctor looks at Rose and John. He crosses his arms and leans against the blue box. "You know," he says softly, "There's always room for two more in this old thing." He pats the TARDIS.

John looks at Rose. Part of him wants to snatch up the opportunity, but he knows he can't. Rose's family is here, so she won't be leaving, and where Rose is, he is.

"Sorry," John says, "Our place is here."

The Doctor smiles and nods. "I understand." He starts to enter the TARDIS, but then he stops. Turning around he muses, "Sometimes the biggest adventures, are the ones that I can never have. But you two," he points to Rose and John, "You can have those adventures. Make them good. And 'The Doctor' isn't a bad name for a kid, very posh." He gins, steps into the TARDIS and closes the door.

John grabs Rose's hand as the whirring noise of the TARDIS leaving fills the air. They watch until the police box fades completely. Then they stand there for a bit watching the empty space that the blue box has left.

John sighs and takes Rose in his arms. She leans her head against his chest and says quietly, "I'm going to miss him."

"Me too," John replies, "But," he says looking down at her, "the least we can do is go and have those adventures for him. The Doctor Smith. Sound very posh. A bit too posh, but we could give it a try." He smiles.

Rose beams up at him and jokes, "Or we could go with Jack."

"Oh no. Giving him a name like that means nothing but trouble. What about something classical like Shakespeare or Amadeus? Now that's a name."

Rose giggles and then stands on her tip toes to give John a soft kiss. He kisses her more firmly and sweeps her off her feet, twirling her around a few times before stopping and saying, "Sorry, I probably taste like Jack."

"How bout a lemonade to wash out that taste," Rose says.

"Sounds good to me, Mrs. Smith. And maybe I can convince you that Amadeus Smith is a brilliant name."

"Good luck with that," Rose says as they walk down the street.

As they round the corner John looks back toward the spot where the TARDIS had been only moments before. It's empty, just a piece of street. Nothing but the memory of an extraordinary ship and the man at her helm. But it's much more than just a memory. It's the TARDIS and the Doctor. The mad man and his box. The Lord of time and his blue box, flying through the galaxies, while John and Rose stay put. But John wouldn't have it any other way. It's like the Doctor said, he's got a very big adventure ahead of him, and he's ready for every bit of it.


End file.
